Twin Cities Archbishop John Nienstedt tells reporters Sunday he "overlooked" the clerical sexual abuse cases when he became bishop and said he should have initially investigated the cases further. He apologized in his homilies at Our Lady of Grace church in Edina on Sunday. (Pioneer Press: Raya Zimmerman)

The head of the Twin Cities archdiocese told an overflowing Edina church Sunday that he failed to check for himself whether clerical sexual abuse cases had been resolved.

“When I arrived seven years ago … I thought the abuse and policies were in order. That was a big mistake, and I apologize,” Archbishop John Nienstedt told hundreds at a morning Mass at Our Lady of Grace Church.

Nienstedt’s two homilies at the church came roughly two weeks after the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis released a list of 34 priests “credibly accused” of sexually abusing children in decades prior.

Nienstedt and the archdiocese have been under scrutiny since the fall. Spurred by a whistleblower, Minnesota Public Radio and other media began reporting failures by the institution in dealing with clergy who sexually abused children, including allegations of cover-ups.

One member of the church who didn’t want his last name used said he was expecting a Christmas Mass but got “more of a political agenda.”

“It was political damage control,” said the Edina parishioner, whose children attend the church’s school.

Bob Sather of St. Louis Park, a church member who said he’s been following the abuse cases, said he admired Nienstedt for the apology.

“I thought it was courageous of him to show up and do what he did,” Sather said.

In between each mass, Nienstedt spoke with reporters.

“I really want to say that when I arrived here seven years ago, one of the first things I was told was that the total question of clerical sexual abuse had been taken care of and I didn’t have to worry about it,” he said. “Unfortunately, I believed that, and so my biggest apology today — and I did this last week at two other parishes — is to say that I overlooked this.”

Nienstedt previously has expressed his remorse to victims of sexual abuse by the archdiocese’s clergy. Sunday’s message centered on his own shortfalls.

“I should have investigated this a lot more than I did,” he told reporters. “When the story started to break in September, I was as surprised as anyone else.”

The list of accused priests, which a Ramsey County judge ordered released earlier this month, dates to 1950. Those on the list served in 92 of the archdiocese’s 188 parishes.

In his homily, Nienstedt said the majority of allegations date to the 1970s and 1980s.

“Again, that is not to excuse those actions or diminish the harm done to their victims,” he said. “But it does indicate that progress is being made in reducing the incidence of such terrible misconduct.”

He said that only one of the crimes against minors has happened in his archdiocese since 2002, but he called that “one too many.”

Curtis Carl Wehmeyer, 48, who was a priest at Blessed Sacrament parish in St. Paul, was sentenced to five years in prison this year after pleading guilty of three counts of criminal sexual conduct. He also pleaded guilty to 17 counts of possession of child pornography. Archdiocese officials removed him from the parish in June.

“When I made (Wehmeyer) pastor, I had no idea — no idea — that he would’ve been a harm to children,” Nienstedt told reporters.

Nienstedt has said that a review of clergy files is continuing, and a Ramsey County judge has ordered the names of priests credibly accused since 2004 to be disclosed by Jan. 6.

The Rev. Bob Schwartz of Our Lady of Grace said Nienstedt contacted him with the request to deliver the homily at the Edina church.

In the homily, Nienstedt outlined goals that he and his team have been working on over the past three months.

He said they have worked to ensure safe environments in their churches, schools and religious programs, “especially minors and vulnerable adults.” They also have been committed to reaching out to victims and regaining the trust and reassurance of Catholics and clergy, he said.

“I believe that with your good prayers, we will get through this period,” Nienstedt said.

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